Dakota County Lake Quality

Minnesota, 48 lakes, average grade C (Fair)

There are 48 graded lakes in Dakota County. The mix is varied enough that the county-level average tells you the broad strokes, not the choose-this-cabin specifics. Dakota County averages to a C. The distribution behind that average matters more than the letter: a few stressed lakes versus many decent ones can produce the same average as the inverse.

The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Marion Lake (A); the most-stressed is O'Leary Lake (F).

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Quick Answers for Dakota County

Cleanest lakes in Dakota County →Cleanest lakes in Minnesota →Safest swimming lakes in Minnesota →

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Marion Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.

Fishing in Dakota County

Dakota County Fishing Guide

Fish species and best-graded lakes in Dakota County

DNR Reports (40)

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Dakota County. browse all reports →

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

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Fisheries Lake Survey — Thompson
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Thomas
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Spring
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Rogers
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Pickerel
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Orchard
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — McDonough
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Marion
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Lemay
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Lac Lavon
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Keller
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Holland
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Fish
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Crystal
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Chub
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Carlson
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Byllesby
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Bur Oaks Pond
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Blackhawk
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Blackhawk
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Public Water Access Sites — Blackhawk
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Bur Oaks Pond
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Byllesby
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Public Water Access Sites — Byllesby
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Carlson
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Crystal
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Public Water Access Sites — Crystal
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Fish
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Public Water Access Sites — Fish
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Holland
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Public Water Access Sites — Jensen
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Public Water Access Sites — Lac Lavon
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Lemay
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Marion
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Public Water Access Sites — Marion
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Orchard
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Public Water Access Sites — Orchard
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fish Stocking History — Rogers
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Public Water Access Sites — Rogers
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Public Water Access Sites — Spring
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder

All Lakes in Dakota County

48 lakes · 45 graded, 3 not rated45 graded lakes · 3 not rated, hidden

Include not-rated lakes (3)

#	Lake	Grade	Clarity	Phosphorus	Algae	Trophic	Max Depth	Access
1	AMarion LakeDakota	A	7 ft	20 µg/L	4.6 µg/L	No recent samples	21 ft	✓ Public
2	ALac Lavon LakeDakota	A	12.1 ft	13 µg/L	2.7 µg/L	No recent samples	32 ft	✓ Public
3	AHolland LakeDakota	A	27.9 ft	14 µg/L	3.5 µg/L	No recent samples	55 ft	Carry-in
4	AO'Brien LakeDakota	A	18 ft	20 µg/L	4.9 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
5	ASunfish LakeDakota	A	9.7 ft	20 µg/L	3.6 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
6	ARogers LakeDakota	A	6.6 ft	23 µg/L	2.9 µg/L	No recent samples	8 ft	✓ Public
7	CHorseshoe LakeDakota	C	6.7 ft	32.5 µg/L	3.9 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
8	CUnnamed LakeDakota	C	6 ft	26 µg/L	7.7 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
9	CLemay LakeDakota	C	6.9 ft	29 µg/L	4.6 µg/L	No recent samples	15.5 ft	Carry-in
10	CFish LakeDakota	C	7.2 ft	37 µg/L	9.1 µg/L	No recent samples	33.5 ft	✓ Public
11	CBlackhawk LakeDakota	C	7.9 ft	28 µg/L	5.3 µg/L	No recent samples	12 ft	✓ Public
12	CCrystal LakeDakota	C	7 ft	27 µg/L	14.4 µg/L	No recent samples	37 ft	✓ Public
13	CThomas LakeDakota	C	5.6 ft	26.5 µg/L	6.7 µg/L	No recent samples	8 ft	✓ Public
14	CCarlson LakeDakota	C	7.5 ft	26 µg/L	8.2 µg/L	No recent samples	19 ft	Carry-in
15	CSchultz LakeDakota	C	8.5 ft	23 µg/L	9.5 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
16	CMcdonough LakeDakota	C	4.5 ft	30 µg/L	7.7 µg/L	No recent samples	13 ft	Carry-in
17	CEast Thomas LakeDakota	C	5.6 ft	27 µg/L	8.5 µg/L	No recent samples	19 ft	Carry-in
18	CBald LakeDakota	C	5.6 ft	39 µg/L	8.5 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
19	CJensen LakeDakota	C	4.6 ft	28 µg/L	12 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
20	CGun Club LakeDakota	C	3.5 ft	154 µg/L	11 µg/L	No recent samples	9.5 ft	✓ Public
21	CHornbean LakeDakota	C	7.2 ft	36 µg/L	5.6 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
22	CCobblestone LakeDakota	C	3.9 ft	93 µg/L	17.5 µg/L	No recent samples	18 ft	Carry-in
23	COrchard LakeDakota	C	5.9 ft	29 µg/L	11 µg/L	No recent samples	33 ft	✓ Public
24	CSunset PondDakota	C	4.9 ft	48 µg/L	5.2 µg/L	No recent samples	10.5 ft	Carry-in
25	CEarley LakeDakota	C	5.9 ft	36.5 µg/L	13.5 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
26	DPitts LakeDakota	D	4.9 ft	43 µg/L	8.2 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
27	DLee LakeDakota	D	4.8 ft	39 µg/L	16 µg/L	No recent samples	14 ft	Carry-in
28	DKeller LakeDakota	D	4.1 ft	37.5 µg/L	16.5 µg/L	No recent samples	7 ft	Carry-in
29	DSchmitt LakeDakota	D	3.6 ft	48 µg/L	19 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
30	DBur Oaks PondDakota	D	4.6 ft	70 µg/L	9.8 µg/L	No recent samples	9 ft	Carry-in
31	DQuigley LakeDakota	D	2 ft	141 µg/L	23.5 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
32	FO'Leary LakeDakota	F	2.6 ft	153 µg/L	72.3 µg/L	No recent samples	33.5 ft	✓ Public
33	FLong LakeDakota	F	1.6 ft	110 µg/L	81.5 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
34	FThompson LakeDakota	F	3.3 ft	54 µg/L	36 µg/L	No recent samples	8 ft	Carry-in
35	FRebecca LakeDakota	F	2.6 ft	134 µg/L	92 µg/L	No recent samples	15 ft	✓ Public
36	FGerhardt LakeDakota	F	2 ft	50 µg/L	37 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
37	FAugusta LakeDakota	F	0.7 ft	147.5 µg/L	130 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
38	FUnn PondDakota	F	2 ft	135 µg/L	51 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
39	FHilltop Pd LakeDakota	F	3.6 ft	97 µg/L	36.7 µg/L	No recent samples	12 ft	✓ Public
40	FMccarthy LakeDakota	F	1 ft	195 µg/L	169.5 µg/L	No recent samples	19 ft	Carry-in
41	FByllesby LakeDakota	F	3 ft	227 µg/L	40.7 µg/L	No recent samples	50 ft	✓ Public
42	FFarquar LakeDakota	F	1.7 ft	114.5 µg/L	88 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
43	FAlimagnet LakeDakota	F	5 ft	71 µg/L	58 µg/L	No recent samples	11.5 ft	Carry-in
44	FDickman LakeDakota	F	1.6 ft	74 µg/L	68.5 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	Carry-in
45	FLilly LakeDakota	F	2 ft	145 µg/L	64 µg/L	No recent samples	8 ft	Carry-in
	NRPickerel LakeDakota	NR	3.5 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	11 ft	✓ Public
	NRSpring LakeDakota	NR	2.1 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	17 ft	✓ Public
	NRChub LakeDakota	NR	0.5 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	10 ft	Carry-in

NR = not rated: the monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar for a grade. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.

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